Pneumatic cushion for vehicles.



G. J. BANGROFT.

PNEUMATIC CUSHION FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1910.

1,003,579. Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.20. x M /5.' 24 as.

a M ji f] HIM/neg G. J. BANCROPT. PNEUMATIC CUSHION FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 7, 1910.

1,003,579. Patehted Sept. 19,1911.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllllll M r B6 1 5 s s I v v Ml avwemto'c UNITED sr 'rEs GEORGE a. 'BANcRoFT; orjnls yang-comman PNnUMaTIc oUsIrion 1? VEHICLES.

s ecification ers atch t d .Patented Sept; 19, 1911,

Application manna 7, 1910:. Serial m5. 565,619.

To all whom it mag concern: p r

Be it'known that I, GEoRoE'J, BANCROFT,

a citizen of the United States, residing in' pneumatic cushions for vehicles, my objectbeing to provide a construction of this class which shall make it practicable to use solid tires or cushions on automobiles or other vehicles. This I accomplish by interposing pneumatic cushions in the form of endless tubes, between pairs of o posing members, one individual member oi each pair being connected with a spring of the vehicle hile the other is supported by -the axle' thereof. The upper member of each pair is connected with a vehicle spring, while the lower member is carried by the, adjacent "axle. The

upper member is-inverted dish-shaped and adapted to engage the pneumatic tube at two points; while the lower member is conical or has the shape of the frustum of a cone whose base is. provided with an extension flange lying in the same plane, whereby this lower member also has two points always in engagement with the pneu matic cushion.

Having briefly outlined my improved:

construction, I will proceed to'describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing: Figure '1 is a sectional view in detail illustrating my improved pneumatic cushion construction for Vehicles, shown in connection wit-ban .axle and a spring thereof, the axle being shown in cross section. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the cushion compressed. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the running gear of a vehicle equipped with my improvement,

which is shown on a smaller scale; Fig. .4

is a section taken on the line H, Fig. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrow.

. The same :reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the wheels of a vehicle, 6 the axles, 7 the framework and 8 and 8 the springs, all of these parts being of ordinary or any suitable construct-ion.

-Mounted upon each axle and extending above the same is a frustum-shaped member 9 having a horizontally disposed extension flange l0 surrounding the base. This frustum-shaped member has a depending hearing part 12 through which the axle 6 passes. It is also provided with bottom openings 13 and is also open at the top as shown at 14, these openings permitting the passage of rods 15 whose lower extremities are connected as shown at 16 with the spring 8 of the vehicle. To the upper extremities of these rods which protrude .above the member 9, is secured an inverted dish-shaped member 17 having a horizontally disposed top part- 18 and a downwardly and outwardly inclined part 19 which extends outwardly beyond the extension flange 10 of the member 9. Applied to the upper extremities of the rods 15 above the member 17 are nuts 20. Interposed between the members 9 below and 17 above, is a cir cularly arranged endless pneumatic tube'21, which as illustrated in the drawing has two points of contact 22 and 23 withthe member 17, and two points of contact 24 and 2 5, with the member 9, the angle formedby the parts 18 and 19 of one member and the parts 9 and 10 of the other member being so regulated as to produce this result. By virtueof this peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, the pneumatic tube 15 maintained in the proper position at all times. That is to say, its axis is neverd'isturbed, since when under compression ('see Fig. 2) it elongates inwardly and. outwardly I in equal degrees-thus.subjecting 1t to compression strain only, there being no tendency to expand the tube or stretch it by making it circularlylarger. v I

From an inspection of Fig. 3 it Wlll be understood that one of these cushion devices is mounted near theouterextremity of 1 the axle, but it must be understood that they may belocated at any desired-po1nts, 's1nce the invention is not limited toanyvparticular number or arrangement of the pneumatic cushions. It will also-beobserved by an inspection of. the'drawing that m the con-i .wardlyf'below the axle and as this occurs, the pneumatic cushions 21 are compressed, the

I struction illustrated, the springs 8 have one member extending below the axle of the vehicle, while the other member extends above Hence when the device is in use, as the springs are suspended from the body of the vehicle, they are allowed to move downdegre'e of compression corresponding with a all jar.

the load upon the vehicle body and also upon the condition of the road over which the vehicle travels. The degree of inflation of these pneumatic tubes may be regulated according to the load upon the vehicle body and accordin to the degree of resilience or elasticity whlch; should be afforded according to the use to which the vehicle is put.

It is evident that this cushion is exceedingly well adapted for use in cushioned vehicle bodies, especially when arranged as illustrated in the drawing. From the foregoing escription it will be understood that when my pneumatic cushions are applied to a vehicle, theupper members 17 arecaused to vibrate and the loose fit of the suspension rods permit both the horizontal and vertical components of'the cause of the vibration to be taken up solely by the pneumatic cushion thereby absorbing Having thus described my invention,what I claim is: p L

1. The combination with the axle of a vehicle .and a spring thereof having a member extendin below the axle, of a cushion composed o a. lower frustum-shaped member having an exteriorly-projecting horizontally disposed part, an upper cooperating invert- -ed dish-shaped member, and means connected with the lower spring member, passing through the frustum-shaped member of the device and forming a support forthe inverted di h-shaped member, the latter being free to'vi rate vertically with the spring and support ng means, and an endless pneumatic .tube interposed between the .inverted dishshaped member and the frustum-shaped member of the device, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a vehicle axle and a spring thereof having a member extending below the axle and transversely thereof, of a frustum-shaped member mounted directly upon the axleof the vehicle and extending above the same, the base of the said member having a horizontally disposed extension,- an'upper inverted dish-shaped member, rods connected with the lower spring member and extendin upwardly through openings formed in t e frustumsha d member of the device, the said springs projecting above the last-named member, a'nddorming a support for the body ,of-thevehicle, and a pneumatic tube interosed between the dish-shaped member and ustum-shaped member of the device, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an axle, of a vehicle and a spring extending below the axle, the said sprm being connected with the body of the ve icle, of a cushioning device consisting of a frustum-shaped member mounted directly upon the axle of the vehicle and extending above the same, the base of the said member having a horizontally disposed extension, an upper inverted dishshaped member, a pneumatic tube interposed between the two members of the device, rods connected with the spring member passing beneath the axle of the vehicle, the said rods extending through the frustum-shaped member of the device'and connected with the inverted dish shaped member, the inverted dish-shaped member being free to vibrate vertically with the spring.

4. The combination with a vehicle axle and a spring thereof having a portion extending below the axle, of a cushion composed of a frustum-shaped member having a horizontal flange extending outwardly from the lower extremit .of its inclined wall, an upper inverted dis -shaped member having a horizontally disposed top and a downwardly and outwardly flared part, the inverted dish-shaped member being supported from the spring member below the axle,

and an endlesspneumatic tube interposed of the parts of the two members of the device-bemg arranged to produce even com- :pression of the pneumatic tube without disturbing the location of its axis, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I GEORGE BANCROFT. Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, HORTEN-SE UHLRIGH. 

